Steele to GOP: 'Fight' ABC

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele urged supporters Thursday to “fight” ABC News over the network’s planned televised town hall on health care that is set to air directly from the White House.

“It seems that the mainstream media has finally decided to dispense with the pointless denials of favorable coverage of the Obama administration. Now one network, ABC News, has actually turned its entire programming over to President Obama and his big-government agenda,” Steele wrote in a fundraising email under the subject line “URGENT!!! Help the RNC fight Obama & ABC News!”

“The liberal special interests have clearly learned from their missteps the last time they tried to force Americans into a socialized health care system — the abysmal failure of the Clinton Administration's ‘HillaryCare,’” Steele wrote. “That's why their friends at ABC News will be promoting Obamacare at virtually every opportunity, from ‘Good Morning America’ to ‘Nightline,’ and reach from ABC News' websites all the way to the White House's East Room.”

ABC has been under attack from the RNC since the committee learned of the hour-long town hall, which is scheduled to air June 24.

In a letter leaked to the Drudge Report, RNC Chief of Staff Ken McKay wrote ABC to express that he was “deeply concerned and disappointed” with the network.

Senior Vice President Kerry Smith responded that the criticism is based on “false premises.” “No one watching, listening to, or reading ABC News will lack for an understanding of all sides of these important questions,” Smith wrote in a letter to McKay. “We've already had many critics of the President's health care proposals on the air — and that’s before a real plan has even been put before the country.” Steele, as part of an effort to solicit funds to run ads opposing the president during the televised event, claimed in his email Thursday that ABC has “flatly rejected” the RNC’s request to “add our views along side those of the Obama Democrats.”

“What are the Democrats and their media allies afraid of? The truth?” Steele wrote. “That is outrageous! And we will not take it!”